diff --git a/phase3_teardown.sh b/phase3_teardown.sh
index b9f3c16..e3db49d 100755
--- a/phase3_teardown.sh
+++ b/phase3_teardown.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ if [[ ! -f "$RUNNERS_CONF" ]]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
+# Track whether teardown encountered operational errors (not user skips).
+TEARDOWN_FAILED=false
+REMOVED=0
+FAILED=0
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Step 1: Remove each runner via manage_runner.sh
 # manage_runner.sh handles its own safety (skips already-removed runners).
@@ -34,21 +39,36 @@ if [[ "$confirm" =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
   while IFS= read -r name; do
     [[ -z "$name" ]] && continue
     log_info "Removing runner: ${name}"
-    "${SCRIPT_DIR}/manage_runner.sh" remove --name "$name" || true
+    if "${SCRIPT_DIR}/manage_runner.sh" remove --name "$name"; then
+      REMOVED=$((REMOVED + 1))
+    else
+      log_error "Failed to remove runner: ${name}"
+      FAILED=$((FAILED + 1))
+      TEARDOWN_FAILED=true
+    fi
   done < <(ini_list_sections "$RUNNERS_CONF")
-  log_success "All runners removed"
+
+  TOTAL=$((REMOVED + FAILED))
+  log_info "Results: ${REMOVED} removed, ${FAILED} failed (out of ${TOTAL})"
 else
   log_info "Skipped runner removal"
 fi
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Step 2: Clear the registration token from .env
-# The token is single-use in some Gitea configurations — generating a new one
-# on next deploy is safer than reusing a potentially stale token.
+# Only clear if no runners failed — a partial teardown should preserve the
+# token so the user can retry without needing to regenerate it.
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-if [[ -n "${GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN:-}" ]]; then
+if $TEARDOWN_FAILED; then
+  log_info "Keeping GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN in .env because some runners failed to remove"
+elif [[ -n "${GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN:-}" ]]; then
   save_env_var "GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN" ""
   log_success "GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN cleared from .env"
 fi
 
+if $TEARDOWN_FAILED; then
+  log_error "Phase 3 teardown completed with errors"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 log_success "Phase 3 teardown complete"